- What's up everyone and
welcome to Yoga with Adriene.

I am Adriene and 
today we have a sequence

for concentration 
and mental focus.

So this is really 
great when you're needing

to hunker down on a project

but you're feeling pulled in
a lot of different directions.

This is really great 
when you feel a little uneasy,

you might need a 
little confidence boost,

a little feeling of 
oh, I got this this.

This is gonna be an 
awesome practice for you.

Please share it 
with people you think

might benefit from it.

I feel like this is a good
one that we can pass around

as a little act of love.

Hop into something 
comfy and let's get started.

(upbeat music)

Alright my friends, 
let's begin lying down, yay!

Don't worry, we'll get up.

Let's start by emptying that cup

so that we can 
fill it mindfully.

So you're gonna just come to
a nice flat back position.

And just allow all 
your beans to spill,

(laughs)

and allow the weight 
of your body to relax.

So even if you're 
a little concerned

that you will get too tired.

Maybe you're already feeling
a little sluggish or weird.

Even if you're worried that
you're gonna get too tired

and not be able 
to do this video.

Trust me, trust yourself, 
trust the practice

and go ahead and keyword,

just allow 
yourself to be heavy, allow.

I'm guessing if 
you chose this video

or you decided to 
say yes to this video

that you could use 
a little rejuvenation

and a little guidance

in toward the 
things that matter.

I can't assume, 
of course, but just a little,

part of me believes 
that you could benefit

from some focus and centering.

So in order to do that,

go ahead and close your eyes

and just allow 
everything to spill, to empty.

And this might be a little bit
difficult if you're on the go

or you're worried about time

but just trust that 
this is valuable, productive,

I would say necessary 
but that's I'm just one girl.

Necessary time that will
actually make whatever it else

you have to do in life

run more smooth,

perhaps help you 
to have more energy,

grace and focus.

So close thine eyes 
if you haven't already.

Then just start 
to notice your breath

and allow your exhales 
to be a little invitation

to just relax.

And as you're ready,

we'll just start to 
rock the head gently

a little side to side, 
ear to ear.

And yes this is the lovely
little massage for the back

of the head and 
absolutely we start to stretch

through the neck.

But this is also a 
little signal to the brain

that we're slowing down.

So if you're like me, 
anything like me,

you might have started this
rocking sensation really fast,

you know it's 
really hard to slow down.

See if you can 
slow it down even more.

Just again is a little way I'm
signaling the brain, ah okay.

Okay, okay.

We'll bring it back to center

and nothing fancy here, 
it's a big full body stretch.

You can keep the eyes closed
or you can start to open them

but we're gonna 
send the fingertips

all the way up and overhead.

Spread the fingers, 
spread the toes,

take a deep breath in,

and a long breath out,

walk your heels in 
line with your hips.

Start to point and 
flex through the feet

and you'll feel your shoulders

pressing firmly 
down into the earth,

excuse me, your shoulder blades.

Firmly pressing 
down into the earth.

Take one more big stretch

then exhale float, 
just the hands the arms down

and you'll use your hands
to press down into the earth

and hug one knee up into the
chest and then the other.

Your intuition is 
probably right here

so give yourself a big ol' hug.

Feel that stretch 
through the lower back body.

Maybe you walk or 
crawl your shoulder blades

down towards the 
bottom edge of your mat.

Kind of like a bear 
massaging its back on a tree.

And then just notice 
where you're gripping here.

Either in the 
mouth or in the ankles.

Sometimes we grip in 
the weirdest places (chuckles).

Am I right?

So even if you can't find it,

just do a little spotty scan

and start to relax again

and just kind of emptying 
the cup so we can fill it

with things that 
feel good and that support

and help focus us.

We've all been there,

get distracted and 
you go down a rabbit hole

and the mind starts to take
over and you get really lost.

And sometimes it 
can be really harmful.

So we'll use this practice 
today to get back on track

whatever it is you're up 
to in your beautiful life.

Okay, we're gonna open the knees

and then reach the 
fingertips to the feet.

Grab the outer 
edges of the feet.

If you cannot grab the outer
edges of the feet, who cares?

You're gonna grab the shins.

We're just gonna open 
up through the knees here

to start to open 
up through the hips.

So we're here or 
we're here on the ankles.

Again, if you can't 
get there then maybe

palms gently come to the
front of the shin or the knee.

And then we're starting here
'cause this is a great one

where you can tell right away
if you're gripping or holding.

So just let it all 
open out, literally.

Thank you YouTube.

Be nice, just kidding.

And then you can start to find
a soft easy movement here.

Obviously we're 
starting nice and slow today

so just use this 
time to settle down.

And then as you're ready,

we'll slowly release 
the arms wherever they are.

Bring the knees back in

and we're gonna slowly 
inhale in, exhale, squeeze,

shins in towards 
the body and slowly peel

head and heart and shoulders up.

The nose can 
come towards the knees

but it doesn't have to touch.

Breathing deep here.

Keeping the shoulders relaxed,

the neck relaxed.

One more breath

and then slowly release.

Awesome, slide the hands 
to the backs of the thighs,

you're gonna rock up and down
the length of your spine.

We're starting to 
get a little energy going

so just be mindful here.

You can do it a couple times

but you're actually gonna
rock all the way to your feet

on this one and this 
is a very humbling move,

it can be very fun.

It's also a nice 
little core activator.

So as you're ready,

you'll come to a 
little toe stretch here,

a little foot stretch.

Fingertips are on the earth.

We start to 
really wake up the feet,

the ankles, the Achilles, 
the calves, your quads.

And then you're gonna inhale,

look forward once you get there.

This is like a 
little ninja stand.

I dressed like a 
ninja today for the focus

and the mental 
focus and concentration.

I feel like it is appropriate.

So inhale, really think 
about opening the chest,

think Cobra here.

And then exhale chin to chest

rounding through, 
think Cat Pose.

You should feel a nice stretch,

maybe the palms 
come to the earth.

And then one more 
time, inhale open.

Think Cobra.

A little bit of energy as you
squeeze the knees together

and then exhale 
around chin to chest.

Then keep this chin to chest,

you're gonna 
slowly drop the heels

and roll all the way 
up to your Mountain Pose.

Take your time, 
move as slow as you can.

And stand up nice and 
tall when you get there,

really feel your feet 
pressing into the ground.

And feel the blood flow 
and the flush of energy.

You're gonna open 
your palms, really open,

open, open up, open 
up through the chest here

and in your Mountain Pose today.

And take nice 
smooth deep breaths.

Literally imagine 
your breath just,

I don't know, I sounds cheesy

but just imagine 
your breath is love,

like you're inhaling love 
and you're exhaling love.

So it's an active 
connection of like your breath

is your spirit not just 
oh, breathing, another task.

Think about when you 
sleep, you keep breathing.

This is to honor the breath

by really 
inhaling lots of love in

and exhaling lots of love out.

Alright, inhale, reach 
the arms up and overhead,

big stretch here just 
like we did on the ground

then exhale, right arm's
gonna come underneath the left

for Eagle Arms 
or Garudasana arms.

If the palms don't 
come together, no matter,

just take a nice stance here.

We're working on 
opening up through the chest

and the shoulders evenly

so you don't wanna allow 
your chest to collapse here.

Lift the chest up.

Inhale, maybe lift the elbows up

and then exhale, 
experiment, fingertips forward.

Again inhale, 
lift the elbows up,

exhale, fingertips forward.

Beautiful, now 
lift the chin slightly,

take the deepest 
breath you taken all day.

Careful, no pressure 
in the lower back here

so little connection 
to your belly.

And then exhale, on an 
exhale all the way down,

bend the knees nice and slow.

Strong steady 
focus on the breath here.

So nice long breath

and then the arms are gonna
unravel at the last moment

and we're back 
in our Forward Fold.

Awesome, inhale 
lifts you up halfway,

nice flat back position.

And exhale to fold.

Awesome, inhale, 
reach for the sky,

root to rise here, 
really spread your fingertips

and this time, left 
arm underneath the right

as you breathe out.

Find your eagle, you breathe
in pressing in the feet,

lift the elbows up perhaps

and then maybe 
fingertips forward.

Continue to 
breathe in your own time,

lift the chest, inhale

and exhale.

Draw the navel in just 
a bit, support your back

and inhale one more time.

This time, maybe lift the chin

and then bend the 
knees in cascading down

with your breath, nice and slow,

arms unravel at the last moment.

Awesome, inhale, halfway lift.

Slow and steady is the course
and then exhale, release.

Beautiful, bend
both knees generously,

belly comes to the 
tops of the thighs,

you might walk your feet 
together a little bit here.

We're gonna send the 
hips back, back, back

and the fingertips forward.

Big stretch here.

Send the hips back so

big stretch in the side body.

So think length.

So immediately our 
minds go to I can't,

Chair Pose sucks,

just think about creating 
length in your side body,

your front body and 
your back body here.

It's okay if the knees 
come a little bit forward

but send the 
weight back in your hips.

Breathing deep and once 
again, protect the back,

your lower back in particular 
by drawing the navel in

and then this pose 
requires you to focus.

Bring your 
attention to your breath.

Imagine you're carrying a
big beach ball here, inhale.

And then exhale, right 
arm underneath the left.

Eagle Arms, 
inhale, lift the elbows up

and then exhale, 
let everything go.

Oh yeah, take a moment 
here to hang, shake it off.

Breathing in, 
lots of love, breathing out

with consciousness.

Sweet inhale, 
halfway lift, big breath.

Nice refreshing 
exhale as you fold.

Bend the knees, belly comes
to the tops of the thighs,

send the weight 
back into your hips

and strong focus here as you
send the fingertips forward.

Now find support from within,
you got this, check it out.

It's always fun 
to repeat things.

I love to work to with 
same vocabulary a lot of times

So that you can find new 
ways have been negotiating,

not just the physicality but
your emotional intelligence

(chuckles) and 
your mental focus.

Here we go, left arm 
underneath the right,

inhale, lift the 
elbows up, Eagle Arms.

Maybe you sink a little 
lower here, you got this.

Breathe in, smile

then it exhale 
everything releases down.

Inhale in, audible exhale 
as you breathe out.

Inhale, halfway lift.

Nice long beautiful neck here

then exhale to fold.

Amazing, bend the knees, 
step the left foot back,

just the left foot, 
right foot stays in the front.

We're come to a 
nice low lunge here,

you can lower the back knee

and then left hand is 
gonna come to the earth

and we're gonna slowly 
peel the right fingertips

up towards the sky.

Just a nice gentle twist here.

Front knee over front ankle,
open the chest, breathe deep.

Awesome then you're 
gonna take the right hand

in next to the right arch

and you're gonna 
swing the left toes around.

Take your time, again 
this requires some focus,

some anchoring of breath 
and mind so take your time.

And we'll just open up

through the left 
fingertips from here.

If this is too much, you 
can come onto the fingertips

or right elbow to the 
top of the right thigh.

Breathe in,

breathe out,

breathe in again, stretch, 
expand, you're awesome

and then use your breath out
to come back all the way,

nice low lunge.

Great, inhale, look forward.

If you want you 
can curl the back toes

underneath that back knee.

If you're not feeling that
today, keep it nice and low.

Beautiful, inhale in.

Exhale, plant the palms, 
step the right toes back.

Strong plank pose, 
we're only here for five,

four, enjoy it try, three,

two, listen to the 
sound of your breath

and slowly lower all the way
to your belly on the one,

you can lower the knees.

Nice and easy here, 
inhale, Cobra to lift up.

Keep it nice and low.

And then exhale, release.

Power up, Plank Pose, inhale,

press up, lift up.

Strong, steady, five, four,

find soft easy 
movement here that feels good,

three, two and one, beautiful.

Downward Facing Dog, 
take your time.

Pedal it out.

Stay present, try to 
stick with the sensation,

what's going on in this moment.

Oh and now this moment.

Ooh and now press into 
your fingertips in this moment.

Beautiful then 
we'll inhale, look forward

and exhale, step the right
foot up, step the left foot up.

Inhale, halfway lift

and exhale, fold.

Inhale deeply through the nose

and exhale, 
sigh it out with sound.

Awesome then the knees, 
step the right foot back,

just the right foot.

Front knee over front ankle,

lower the right 
knee to the ground.

Relish this stretch, 
this sensation.

Beautiful and then right 
hand will come to the earth

and we'll slowly,

so there's a little 
energy in the pelvic floor,

cinch up through there, 
a little scissor effect

as you lift the left 
fingertips up towards the sky.

Then see if you can rotate 
your right shoulder around

just create more space.

Nice and mindful 
adjustments here though.

Breathing deep as you inhale,
smile, breathe into your belly

and then exhale, 
bring it all the way down.

Oh, feel the blood flow, the
energy flush, pay attention.

Left hand comes in line with
the arch of the left foot

then listen carefully, 
here we go.

Right knee 
essentially stays where it's at.

We're going to swing the
right toes all the way around.

Kind of come into 
a half warrior here

and right fingertips 
reach all the way up

half extended side angle.

Now and you can also 
bring that left elbow up,

create more space 
or if you have a block,

maybe play with that.

Inhale, find expansion.

Exhale and then inhale,

expand, create more space

and then exhale, 
bring it all the way down.

Awesome, here we go.

Framing the foot now 
with your hands again.

Loop the shoulders, inhale at
the heart, radiate forward.

You can lift that back knee or
keep it lower, you got this.

Awesome then plant the palms
and we'll come to Plank Pose.

Five, four, three,

you can count with me 
if you want, two and one.

Lower belly to Cobra 
or Chaturanga to Up Dog.

You'll inhale to open 
the chest, open the heart

and then exhale to make your
way to Downward Facing Dog.

Inhaling deeply

and exhale completely.

Inhale to look forward, 
bend the knees.

Exhale, step or hop to the top.

Inhale, halfway lift, 
find length

and exhale, Forward Fold.

Inhale, spread the fingertips, 
press into the earth,

reach up towards the sky 
and exhale hands to heart,

strong and steady.

So there's this connection

to your center of 
gravity here, really strong.

If a big burst of wind were to
come through, you'd be here.

We wouldn't sway, wouldn't fall.

Connect to your center.

So we're gonna 
challenge our center of gravity

by coming into a 
standing one-legged Tadasana.

You'll press into your left foot

and lift the right knee up
as if it were on the string

and then slowly release it down.

Two more times, inhale.

Notice if you're shifting all
your weight to your left side,

see if you can stay lifted, 
connect to your center

all the way up

and then slowly 
all the way down.

Last time, inhale.

Careful not to 
grip to your left toes

and this time 
we're gonna stay here,

we're gonna open up to Tree Pose

so you'll grab your right foot

and either place it right up
against your left inner thigh

and press your left inner thigh

really against your right foot

or you can also 
go below the knee

or keep the toes on the ground

then find your focal point

and try to press into the
outer edge of your right foot,

finding rotation in 
the right thigh bone

and then take a 
variation here that serves you.

You can get 
creative with your mudra.

You can stay here, 
hands at the heart

or maybe challenge yourself

by reaching 
fingertips towards the sky.

For an extra challenge, 
you can take your gaze up

and for an extra challenge, 
you can close your eyes.

And take one more 
inhale to lift your heart

and then you use your exhale,

keep your heart 
lifted to bring it back.

Take it to the other side.

Three times 
peeling up from the knee

and just notice if you're 
shifting all of your weight

into your right leg, 
right hip, right glute.

And after about three, make
your way to tree, nice and slow,

playing with this 
idea of pressing energy in

towards each other 
and towards the midline

so you can find length 
and stability in the spine.

Honor this side, just 
accept where you are today

and maybe if you're in the mood,

you have some fun 
by lifting the arms up.

Maybe looking up 
taking your gaze up

or if you're feeling really
adventurous, closing your eyes.

Inhale in,

lift your heart, keep your
heart lifted as you exhale,

release with control.

Bring the palms 
together, feet together.

Inhale and exhale, sigh it out.

Awesome, walk the feet

just a little bit 
wider than hip width apart

and turn the toes out.

Inhale in, reach for the sky

and exhale as if 
you're painting a wall.

You're gonna bend your knees

and you're just gonna 
paint the wall forward.

Kind of like a 
little Tai Chi move here.

You're just gonna 
go about halfway down

and you're gonna 
inhale rise up, Thriller arms.

And exhale down, 
halfway, just checking it out.

Knees are going tracing 
right over the the toes here

and then rise up 
and then one more time.

Sync up with 
your breath, inhale.

Alright and now taking it all
the way down on an exhale,

listen to your 
breath find that Ujjayi.

Press into the 
outer edges of the feet,

press into the 
outer edges of the feet

and now here we 
are in our yogi squat.

Awesome take a deep breath in.

Relax those 
shoulders as you breathe out.

Press the palms together

and then really today, activate.

Press the arms against your legs

and squeeze the 
legs against your arms

and if you're having to 
bring the hands to the ground

for stability here, 
power to you.

Find the modification, 
be mindful

and focus on the 
sound of your breath here

in the last 
moments of our practice.

Get your center down 
low and feel the heat,

the warmth that you've created.

And press into the 
outer edges of the feet,

take a deep breath in,

and a long breath out.

Awesome work.

Slow and steady,

keep pressing into the 
outer edges of the feet

as you bring your hands forward.

And you're gonna walk the
toes together, knees together

and we're come 
into that low squat,

just like we did at the 
beginning of our practice.

Now, you can stay 
here in the nice low squat.

Send your gaze forward, 
find a length in the neck.

We can stay here, 
squeezing the legs together,

fingertips on the earth,

concentrating on the 
sound of your breath.

Another option would be 
to bring the palms together,

send the knees forward, 
create length in the quadriceps.

Lift your hip creases up towards
the sky just intentionally,

don't literally

and come into a little toe
stand here, breathing deep.

Breathing deep.

And then you can stay here

or we can open the knees wide.

Bring some energy up 
from the base of the spine,

send the fingertips forward,
keep the shoulders relaxed.

Lift up from your center 
and bring the knees

up towards the 
armpit chest, gaze forward

as you maybe 
rock forward and back.

Crow Pose, forward and back

and maybe it's a 
lift off and maybe not.

So we have lots of 
options here, breathing deep.

Whatever option you've chosen,

listen to the 
sound of your breath.

Lift the corners of your mouth

and then after a 
little bit of playtime,

we're gonna come to a 
nice seat, just cross-legged

so take your time,

you can work a couple 
more breaths here and there

then we'll come to a nice seat.

Just allowing the 
spine to go neutral,

the shoulders to relax

and the body to cool down.

Maybe flip your palms face up.

Take a deep breath in

and long breath out.

Another deep breath in

and a long breath out

then one more.

Sit up nice and tall,

bring the hands together

and we're gonna bring the thumbs
right up to the third eye.

Take a moment here to just
tap into a little gratitude,

appreciate your body.

Just kind of admire 
and appreciate yourself

and this time 
you've taken for yourself.

It's so valuable, so important.

I wish you the best.

Focus on the 
things that serve you.

You got this, whatever 
task is at hand, you got it.

Maybe quietly 
whisper to yourself,

I got this.

Tuck the chin slightly,

feel that length in the 
back of the neck, inhale in

and exhale, take 
everything all the way down,

we bow forward.

Namaste

(upbeat music)